Improvement in farm-fences



w. E. CARY.

Farm-Fence.

Patented June 1, 1875.

THE GRAPHIC C0.PHOTO -L|TH.39&4'I PARK PLACE, NY.

ATEN'I Fran.

WAITSELL E. GARY, OF BLOOMFIELD, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT lN FARM-FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 163,848, dated J 11116 1, 1875; application filed April 7, 1875.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WAITSELL EDWARD GARY, of Bloomfield, in the county of Davis and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in certain combinations and arrangements of devices in a portable fence, whereby said fence is rendered very strong and efficient, readily movable from place to place, and capable of being stored away in compact form and a small space.

The details of construction involved in my improvement will be hereinafter explained with reference to the accompanying drawings, in WhlCl1- Figure l is a side elevation of two panels of my improved portable fence. Fig. 2 is a view of a fencepost and bracing-stakes as used at each end of the panels. Fig. 3 shows the post and stakes folded for storing.

A A are bracing-stakes, crossing each other near their tops. B is a cross-brace, one end of which is bolted to each stake near its foot. 0 is a post, having the oblong holes 0 mortised therein to receive the ends of the fencingboards. This post is bolted to the middle of cross-brace Bin such position that the bottom mortise is below the cross-brace, the foot of the post just clearing the ground, and said post is also bolted to the stakes A A at the point where said stakes cross each other, a single bolt, 1, passing through both of the stakes and the post. The topmost mortise in the post is just above the crossing-point of the stakes. This arrangement of post and stakes is used at each end of a panel of my improved fence, the ends of the horizontal planks or boards in said panel passing through the mortised holes in the posts.

In constructing the panels of my fence I use in each panel fencing-boards of two different ]engths.-say fourteen feet and sixteen feet, respectively, for instance-and taking a fourteen foot board, a, for a topmost board, I bore two holes (say inch auger-holes) near each end of said board, the holes being on a line through the longitudinal center of the board, and just a little farther apart than the thickness of post 0. These holes are intended to receive pins p, one each side of posts 0 0, when the ends of top boards a are put through the topmost mortises in the posts. sixteen-foot board, I), for a bottom board. and bore holes the same distance from its ends as in case of the top or fourteen-foot board, and having placed the opposite ends of said bottom board in the lowermost mortises of the posts 0 O, I secure it in place by inserting pins in the holes in the board at opposite sides of the posts 0 G. The posts and stakes at opposite ends of this panel incline toward each other at their tops, as will readily be observed, on account of the difference in the lengths of boards wand 11. The second board from the top I make of equal length with the top board, and the second and third from the bottom I make of equal length with the bottom board. These intermediate boards have only one pinhole at each end, arranged at proper points for the pins 12 to come-against the inner sides of posts 0 0, the ends of the boards being first placed in the mortises in the posts, and the pins afterward inserted in their holes, and preventing any end play of the boards.

Having constructed a panel as just explained, I will call it panel N o. 1, and proceed to explain the construction of panel No. 2, as follows: For a topmost board in this panel (in which is used the same arrangement of posts and stakes as in panel N o. 1) I take a board, I), sixteen feet long, having pin-holes, 860.,

exactly like bottom board of panel No. 1, and

for a bottom board I take a board, a, fourteen feet long, in all respects similar to topmost board of panel No. 1. The second board from top I make of equal length with top board, and second and third boards from bottom I make of equal length with bottom board. The

posts and stakes at opposite ends of this panel it will be seen incline away from each other at their tops. When these two panels are placed end to end, the long boards of panel No. 2 lap beyond the ends of long boards of panel No. 1, and meet the ends of the short I then take a upper boards of said panel, the short boards of each panel being end to end with the long boards of the other.

Considering these two panels to be the first and second of a fence, the third will be similar to the first, the fourth to the second, and so on until the fence is completed.

To the feet of the stakes A A may be bolted sharp-pointed pins 01, which can be driven into the ground in order to hold the panels against displacement by the wind, or by animals rubbing against the fence.

The object in inclining the post and stakes, as before explained, is that they may serve as braces against endwise strain upon the panels, and prevent the panels from swaying endwise, or becoming rickety, as would soon be the case were the posts and stakes set vertically and not braced against each other.

The object in constructing each panel of boards of two different lengths is to make lapjoints between the panels, so that should two panels by any means be drawn away from each other, there would not be a complete or continuous opening from the top to the bottom of the fence, and which would be quickly observed by animals, affording them means of escape.

The illustrations given of my invention refer to a fiveloarred fence; but, of course, the number of bars may be varied, and the proportions of short and long boards in the panels may also be varied without departing from the principle of my invention.

When it is desired to remove the fence from a pasture or other inclosnre where it has been in use, the pins are removed from the intermediate boards of a panel and the boards withdrawn. The pins of the bottom board are then withdrawn and the board taken out of the inor-tises. The top board is then removed and all the parts of the panel are kept together. If the fence is simply to be moved to another pasture or inclosure, the posts and stakes are transferred as they are, bolted together; but if the fence is to be stored away, the bolt 1 of the post and stakes is removed, and the several parts folded together, as shown in Fig. 3.

Having now fully described the construction and manner of using my invention, 1 claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patcut-- 1. The combination, in a portable fence, of two adjacent detached panels, composed of boards a a and b I) of different lengths, projecting beyond the fence-posts and forming lapwjoints, substantially as shown and described.

2. The posts 0 G at opposite ends of a fencepanel, inclined toward each other, and held in position by pins 19 passing through holes in the boards a I) on opposite sides of said posts, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own invention, I affix hereto my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WAITSELL EDWARD GARY.

Witnesses:

M. B. HORN,

W. R. BRYcE. 

